Romans 11:25-29 – The Irrevocable Call of God

Topic: The Irrevocable Call of God

Reading: Romans 11:25-29

Introduction and Overview

God is faithful. That is the key to understanding His grace and desire to help His people.

God chose Israel as His own special people. He promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob that He would be with their descendants, choosing them over all other nations as His people.

But many of the children of Israel turned away from God. They rejected Him choosing rather to follow false gods and idols.

But because of the irrevocable call of God and His faithfulness, He did not reject the children of Israel. He continues to sek their good and holds out His hands to accept them when they turn to Him. Time after time we see in the Old Testament where they rejected Him, then repented, and were accepted back.

But there was also a purpose in their rejection of God. His purpose was to allow the rest of humanity the opportunity to come to Him as blessed children. His purpose was to fill the ranks of Israel with people of faith from all nations, including those who were not physically descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Jesus cam so that the world could be reconciled to God and everyone could become part of the irrevocable call of God to be children of Israel. But as was seen in earlier studies, it is those who have faith like Abraham who are the true children of Israel. Physical genealogy is unimportant, even though God continues to stand by His promise to be the God of Israel. But it is through faith that the true descendants of Israel are named. And it is through faith that the irrevocable call of God is held out to all peoples.

Key points from reading:

1. Israel are the chosen people of God, despite their continued rejection of Him
2. Those Israelites who reject God have made way for non-Israelites (Gentiles) to come to God
3. God’s love for Israel despite their rejection of Him, shows the irrevocable call of God

Discussion:

1. Scripture: Romans 11:25
   • This verse shows us that God allowed part of Israel to fall and for their hearts to be hardened against God. They rejected Him, but their rejection was also to serve God’s purpose. Indeed everything that happens on this earth serves God’s purpose for He is in control of everything.
   • The purpose of this hardening of the hearts of Israel against God allowed God to establish His New Covenant with all mankind. The Old Covenant was established only with the house of Israel and the descendants of Israel. But the New Covenant was to be established so that people everywhere, regardless of their genealogy, have the opportunity to find God.
   • And indeed this New Covenant was actually the fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham. God made a covenant with Abraham prior to the Old Covenant of law, which came four hundred and thirty years later through Moses. The original covenant to Abraham that he should inherit the world actually referred to the covenant that would be established in Jesus Christ. Note these words:
     
     15 To give a human example, brethren: no one annuls even a man’s will, or adds to it, once it has been ratified. 16 Now the promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring. It does not say, “And to offsprings,” referring to many; but, referring to one, “And to your offspring,” which is Christ. 17 This is what I mean: the law, which came four hundred and thirty years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise void. 18 For if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by promise; but God gave it to Abraham by a promise. (Galatians 3:15-18)
     
   • This too is evidence of the irrevocable call of God. His original covenant with Abraham was not revoked when the covenant of the law was established with Moses. When he says in verse 18 that if the inheritance was to be received by keeping the works of the law, it means that we would receive the inheritance through our actions rather than by faith. But it is by faith that people are saved, not by works of the law. This is so that the irrevocable call of God can be the basis of our salvation rather than anything we do.
2. Scripture: Romans 11:26-27
   • In these two verses we see the irrevocable call of God with the statement of the way that the New Covenant built on the basis of faith would occur. The hardening of the hearts of part of Israel allowed for the New Covenant to be established so that the Gentiles could receive the blessings of God, not through the law, but through faith. And in their faith, the Gentiles are adopted into Israel, or grafted into Israel, as discussed earlier in this chapter of Romans.
   • Verse 26 tells us that Jesus appeared to banish ungodliness from Israel. He came to destroy the works of the devil, which lead to sin, as this verse tells us:
     
     He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)
     
     And by faith in Jesus Christ, God takes away the sins of those who believe.
   • We note in verse 27 the basis of this New Covenant given by God through Jesus Christ. In it He says, “…and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” God takes away the sins of those who believe in Jesus Christ. Note that He just doesn’t forgive the sins of those who believe, He removes them completely, taking them away, never to be raised or seen again. This is further emphasised in the words of John the Baptist speaking of Jesus, when he said, “Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)
   • When you believe that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, and that God has resurrected Jesus Christ, God declares you righteous by faith. And when we are baptised into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we die with Him and His death becomes the payment for our sins as we receive His death as if it were our own, so that we can enter the new life of the Spirit as new creations, born again from above. And as for the removal of our sins and transgressions, this following scripture tells us how far they are removed from us:
     
     Who is a God like thee, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? He does not retain his anger forever because he delights in steadfast love. He will again have compassion upon us, he will tread our iniquities under foot. Thou wilt cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. (Micah 7:18-19)
     
   • We are that remnant under the irrevocable call of God. We are those whom have had our sins cast so far away into the irretrievable depths of the sea, when we come to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
3. Scripture: Romans 11:28
   • But even though there were some of the children of Israel who rejected God and who became His enemies through rejecting the Gospel, they remain beloved because of God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
   • The irrevocable call of God still stands and they are still beloved because God does not revoke or turn back on His word and His promises. Even though they became faithless, God remains faithful. They still are watched over by Him for the sake of His word and His promises to their forefathers. This is why the nation of Israel today remains strong in the face of great opposition. They still have the favour of God for the sake of their forefathers and the irrevocable word of God.
   • God does not back down on promises He makes. And the same can be said for us as Christians too. He has promised many things, and He will keep His promises. He promises life, insight, understanding, and eternity to those who come to Him in faith in Jesus Christ. Those too are promises that are irrevocable.
4. Scripture: Romans 11:29
   • In this last verse we see the summation of all of these things. The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. They are unchanging and will not be taken away because the word of God cannot and will not be revoked. His word is eternal and forever.
   • As such we do not need to fear what may happen. Everything that is going on in this world is drawing to a conclusion. It is being either driven by the word of God or allowed to happen to fulfil the word and the will of God. And we know these things will happen because we are told about them in prophecies given thousands of years ago.
   • God wants His people to know what He is doing, and He does not want His people to be afraid. He warned us of the sicknesses, disease, pestilence, wars and every other form of evil that is in the world today. And He said these things were the precursor tot he return of Christ.
   • Consider the evil and ineffectiveness of government today. Politicians for the most part are interested in gaining power and holding on to it. They are not seeking the good of the people but are drunk with power. Many are evil and doing evil things. But God has allowed these people to come to power because these are evil days we live in. These last days before the second coming of Christ are days where evil runs wild. And for evil things to happen there needs to be evil men and women in government to allow evil to occur. It is all happening according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God. Even these evil people in power are working according to the will of God, even when they reject Him utterly, as some do.
   • These things too are evidence of the irrevocable call of God. The promises of God and the fulfilling of His word and His prophecies are irrevocable. All these things prophesied and spoken of in the scriptures will happen because the word of God is irrevocable. So, do not fear, do not be anxious, do not worry. God has also promised to look after and look out for His people who follow Him in faith.

Key Takeaways:

1. The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable. God cannot and does not go back on His word.
2. God cares for His people even when they are faithless because He is always faithful
3. The New Covenant is the fulfilment of the promises made to Abraham and it enabled all people to come and receive the promises of God through Jesus Christ

Prayer Points

1. Pray and thank the Lord God for His irrevocable promises that have allowed you the opportunity to find Him.
2. Thank the Lord for giving us this means by which we can become the children of God.
3. Thank the Lord God also that everything is in His control and His time, even the things that are evil in these days are occurring for His purposes. His purpose, His plan, and His promises are irrevocable and what He promised from the very beginning will come to fruition.